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Monday, July 3, 2017

Grammar of Photography, student projects. In class, students choose a shooting project for the duration of the term. In the posts that follow, I'm including a selection of images made during either Grammar of Photography or its follow up course, organized into loose groups. In this post, you can see images made in Coney Island, Gleason's Gym, Rockefeller Center, the Meatpacking District, Central Park, Chinatown, and Flushing, Queens. One approach to choosing a shooting project is to pick a place that is conveniently located and simply go and shoot there once or twice a week. The best work is the result of finding one's subject every week.

Grammar of Photography, student projects. Sometimes the nature of a place is the thread that holds the work together. Museums, places of worship, libraries, notable architecture -- all have been frequent subjects in class. It can be a challenge to go back to the same location every week and be able to see that place with fresh eyes. That is the point of emphasis in class: not what we see, but how we see it.

Grammar of Photography, student projects. Subject matter can be the stuff of daily life. Bookstores, antique shops, restaurants, laundromats, corner markets, friends hanging out, stuff at the side of the curb, even the contents of your fridge.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

If you know of John Cleese, it is probably through British television shows like Monty Python or Fawlty Towers or movies like A Fish Called Wanda.
In addition to being an actor, he is also a screenwriter. Cleese also
has thought quite a bit about the creative process. Below is a link to a
video on YouTube in which he discusses how to foster creativity. The
context is a business setting, but the ideas in the speech are easily
applied to all disciplines. A significant point is that creativity is
not an innate talent, but the result of a process. We can facilitate
being more creative by setting aside regular, fixed, time intervals for
brainstorming and resisting the urge to come up with solutions
prematurely. What is essential is giving yourself the freedom to play with ideas and persistence. As Cleese says, "if you just keep your mind
resting against the subject in a friendly but persistent way, sooner or
later you will get a reward from your unconscious."

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Photographs can be many things. Some document a fleeting moment. Others transform their subject through light or perspective. Photographs tell us about the world as it is, or as the photographer imagines it.Almost 3 years ago, I began teaching a course in visual literacy at Pratt SCPS called The Grammar of Photography. The goal of the course is to develop students’ ability to see in photographic terms and begin the process of aligning visual style and subject matter.This exhibition showcases the current work of four alumni of the very first Grammar of Photography class: Debra Bilow, Ed Forti, Paul Kessel, and Felice Simon. While style and subject matter may differ, each of the exhibitors has succeeded in producing work that bears the stamp of a clearly defined personal vision. The result is photographs not just taken but made with a point of view. That’s not an easy task. I commend each of them for their hard work and dedication.

The Grammar of Photographyfeaturing the work of: Debra Bilow, Ed Forti, Paul Kessel, and Felice SimonExhibition Dates: February 19 - March 21, 2016Opening February 19, 6:00-8:00pm